RMRS Online Publication - Journal
Articles, External Publications, and Special ReportsChemical and physical transformations of
organic aerosol from the photo-oxidation of open biomass burning
emissions in an environmental chamber

Smog chamber experiments were conducted to investigate the
chemical and physical transformations of organic aerosol (OA)
during photo-oxidation of open biomass burning emissions. The
experiments were carried out at the US Forest Service Fire Science
Laboratory as part of the third Fire Lab at Missoula Experiment
(FLAME III). We investigated emissions from 12 different fuels
commonly burned in North American wildfires. The experiments
feature atmospheric and plume aerosol and oxidant concentrations;
aging times ranged from 3 to 4.5 h. OA production, expressed
as a mass enhancement ratio (ratio of OA to primary OA (POA)
mass), was highly variable. OA mass enhancement ratios ranged
from 2.9 in experiments where secondary OA (SOA) production nearly
tripled the POA concentration to 0.7 in experiments where photo-oxidation
resulted in a 30% loss of the OA mass.

Keywords: open biomass burning emissions, organic aerosol
(OA)

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Title: RMRS Other
Publications: Chemical and physical transformations of organic
aerosol from the photo-oxidation of open biomass burning emissions
in an environmental chamberElectronic Publish Date: February 23, 2012Last Update: February
23, 2012